The Kuehnl family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Kuehnl is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Kuehnl was given to someone who lived in Bavaria.

Kuehnl Early Origins

The surname Kuehnl was first found in Bavaria, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name Kuhnle became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the region and throughout the nation.

Kuehnl Spelling Variations

Kuehnl Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Kuehnl include Kuhnle, Kuehnle, Kuhnel, Coonel, Kunel, Kunell, Cunell and many more.

Kuehnl Early History

Kuehnl Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kuehnl research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1645 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Kuehnl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kuehnl Early Notables (pre 1700)

Kuehnl Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kuehnl Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: Georg Kuhnle arrived in Philadelphia in 1763; Charles Kuhnle, age 61; settled in Philadelphia with his wife and son in 1804; Joseph Kuhnle arrived in Philadelphia in 1860.

The Kuehnl Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Kuehnl Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.